QGIS... GIS tools for manipulating data...

A few months ago, I had a conversation with Charlotte Graves, who is developing some teaching materials and approaches for QGIS (a free Open-source GIS package)

The materials are now available to use and trial. Details are available HERE.

There is a questionnaire connected to the trial, which will help Charlotte to create further materials, and those which are of as much relevance as possible. This was part of her research, as she explains here:

The aim of my research was to create a plugin for QGIS that would encourage and support the use of GIS in schools at minimum cost and with as much ease as possible.

I am now in the final stages of my dissertation and the QGISforSchools plugin is ready for testing. 

It takes the form of a QGIS plugin that provides 3 units (on Population & Development, Tourism and Earthquakes) that provides a student (or teacher) who is new to GIS with a step-by-step introduction to the software. The intention is that the software is simply used to explore the Geographical topic, rather than to teach the user how to use the software on his/her own.

I would be very grateful if you could spare some time to test the plugin and provide some feedback for my dissertation, and to inform the future development of the plugin.

The steps for testing the plugin can be found at the link above.

Charlotte has also provided a useful list of suggested resources for those who want to explore GIS in more detail.

Plotting data from a spreadsheet in ArcGIS Online - connections with I-USE

ArcGIS Online has been causing a lot of excitement amongst those teachers who have seen it in action.

It has both FREE and SUBSCRIPTION options, and the FREE version is sufficient to start creating some really interesting maps, and working with data (which may come from I-USE)

One of the most exciting things is the ability to map data from a spreadsheet really quickly, using both 2D and '3D' mapping (using the Thematic Mapping engine, which we have also adopted for the I-USE 3D Mapping option)

I have been exploring ArcGIS Online for several courses that have been running over the next last few months, and have worked on some activities. We will be using some others developed by Bob Lang during the summer term.

You can add data to ArcGIS Online in a range of formats - the best option is to save your spreadsheet in CSV (Comma Separated Variable) format.
For those who are unfamiliar with spreadsheets, this is a type of spreadsheet where the boxes are missing, and replaced by a comma... so each of the cells' contents is separated by commas rather than lines.
Another element of the tool is the ability to use templates to explore places, and also to create your own STORY MAPS. I've been discussing this with Joseph Kerski. He has recently shared an essay on how this system might work.

I have also been exploring the ease with which information can be added from a spreadsheet...
This is data on crime from the POLICE.UK website, for example.

How does this connect with the I-USE project ?

One of the outcomes that is possible from the website is a CSV file that is generated from users' own data. This could connect very nicely with ArcGIS Online.

More on this to come as part of the teacher development course, that we are planning at the moment...